Connecting…

So, for a while now, I've been kinda going through some stuff, as we all do, but the other day, I looked up and realized I hadn't written anything in over a year. Two if we're talking just fanfics. And I said to myself, that's fucked up! I'm going to start writing again, right now. And a few days later, I had this 12,000+ word fanfic written! I was rewatching Digimon, for the new Digimon Adventure Tri, and I always loved Jenkato – Jenrya (Jianling/Henry) and Takato – so I thought, why not write a fanfic for it! Anyway, I'm sure this is super dramatic, but I hope y'all like it :)

"Jen-kun!" Takato shouted. "Wait!"

In front of him, the blue haired boy stopped, but didn't turn around. Takato frowned. He took quick steps, hurrying to catch up to his best friend. As he walked toward the park, his mind swirled. What was he even going to say? What was even happening? Of course, that was the question he wanted to ask most.

It felt like he and Jenrya had been always been best friends; middle school and their digimon adventures seemed like a lifetime ago. Since then, Takato had never thought twice about his friendship with Jenrya Lee. There was never any need to. Jen was his best friend; it was a fact as solid as stone. Jen was the first person he thought of when he finished a painting, brimming with excitement. He was the first person Takato called when his thoughts lingered too long on Guilmon, and he felt like he might cry. No matter what the situation, Jenrya Lee was someone around whom he could always be comfortable.

So why did he feel so uneasy?

"Yes Takato-kun?" Jen asked.

Jen had finally turned to face him, but his grey eyes were blank. Takato had never seen them so empty. He didn't understand.

"I…" Takato began. He paused. For the first time that he could remember, the brunette couldn't find the right words to say to his best friend. "Where… have you been?"

The question wasn't exactly perfect, but it was a start. The ex-tamers were two months into their 10th grade year. Over the summer, Takato had spent nearly everyday with the entire ex-tamer group. All other time was spent just him and Jen. Since he'd first found out his art had come alive, Takato couldn't remember being as happy. And then… school rolled around.

It seemed like everyday Jen took a step away from him. At first, Takato assumed it was just the beginning of class. School was back, so of course they couldn't spend as much time together. Some nights were filled to the brim with homework, essays, or class projects. Takato knew that. But… as the days turned into weeks, the goggle-headed boy couldn't help but doubt. He saw less and less of Jen. Every call and invitation was turned down, with a thousand apologies, but it had become a pattern.

Was it him? Takato worried most nights that he had done something unwittingly to make Jen upset. He must have! But no matter how many nights he spent tossing and turning, the brunette could never figure out what was wrong. And now, he had to run out of the school, and catch Jen by surprise, just to talk to him!

"What do you mean Takato-kun?" The bluenette finally asked. He offered a smile that looked strange on his face.

Takato didn't like it. He hated this, whatever it was. "I mean, why… have you been avoiding me? Every time I call you, you're busy. Any time I invite you out, you've got other plans. Have you even been seeing the others? Ruki says she hasn't talked to you in over a month!"

Jen flinched, his mouth and fists tightening. He said nothing, but his eyes were looking anywhere but at Takato.

"…Have I done something to make you upset?"

"What?" Jen asked, his silence finally breaking. "No! It's… it's not… I'm not upset. And you haven't done anything."

Brow furrowing, Takato tried to catch his friend's gaze, but his own red eyes never met gray. "Then… I don't understand! Are you tired of me?"

"E-excuse… no!" Jen sputtered.

"Do you have a new best friend?"

"No," Jen said earnestly. "Of course not Takato."

"Of course…" Takato repeated. He could feel a growl stirring in his stomach. Nothing made sense. His head hurt, and his blood felt like it could boil. He was… so angry. Why was Jenrya doing this to him? "How can you say, 'of course,' when we haven't even spoken in over a week!"

"I've… just been busy is all," Jen insisted. His voice was no longer calm; his face grew more frightened every second. "I promise Takato-kun, everything's–"

Takato held out a finger, pointing it dangerously Jen's way. "Don't you dare say fine Jenrya. This isn't fine."

Only air left Jen's mouth, his eyes too stunned to blink. Takato never called him Jenrya.

"Is it…" Takato said, searching for the right words. "Is it a girl? Are you seeing someone?"

Jen's bark of laughter shocked both ex-tamers, but stoked the flames of Takato's anger.

"N-no! That isn't…" Jen started.

"Then what is it?" Takato asked again, taking a step towards the blue haired boy.

Eyes darting back and forth, his hands shaking, Jen looked at Takato… and he felt scared. He stumbled backwards still trying to give Takato an answer.

"Jen?"

His breath left in short, scattered bursts, and Jen wasn't sure if he was trembling or if his heart was shaking his entire body as it pounded away. He took another step back.

"Jen!"

"T-takato," Jen muttered, speaking more to the ground than to the boy advancing toward him. "I just… I can't. I'm sorry, but I… c-can't…"

"Can't what Jen?" Takato yelled. "I don't understand! If I'm your best friend, why can't you tell me what's going on? Don't you trust me? After everything we've been through together… after your dad…? Was that not enough? I-If… if you're trying to end our friendship… just say it, and we… will."

Nothing was said. Leaves scraped across the ground as they were blown by, the branches in the trees swayed and rustled, and still neither ex-tamer spoke.

Jen's mouth hung open. His eyes were wide and shivering, but Takato was no longer looking at him. The brunette's red gaze burned into the cement by his shoes until he was finally ready to speak. He looked up just in time to catch a tear sliding down the half-Chinese boy's cheek, before Jen had already turned, and was sprinting across the park.